The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to approve a temporary anti-mansionization measure authored by Councilman Paul Koretz, 5th District, that places a moratorium on tearing down houses in 15 different neighborhoods throughout the city.

Koretz said the motion will go into effect within a couple of days and will prevent the demolition of homes in many areas while the city hammers out a permanent solution. The councilman said it will likely take the planning department a year-and-a-half to two years to create a permanent anti-mansionization ordinance.

“I am hopeful it will prevent many houses from being demolished and being replaced by McMansions,” Koretz said. “We did it as quickly as we could. The process was difficult and took a little longer than we hoped, but I still believe it will prevent hundreds of homes from being demolished and replaced by these huge, boxy McMansions. The wheels of change at city hall, as slowly as they turn, have finally gotten there.”

In the local area, the motion would affect the South Hollywood, Fairfax, Miracle Mile, Larchmont Heights, Sunset Square and Beverlywood districts. In general, the ordinance would limit new home construction to a size that would be compatible with existing homes in each neighborhood. In some areas, home demolitions would be halted completely. In others, homes could be demolished and replaced with structures only 20 percent larger than the previous residence on the parcel.

Many people believe the city council’s approval has come too late to have an impact in their neighborhoods. Gardner Avenue resident Peter Nichols said seven homes within 1,000 feet of his house were recently demolished.

“There’s a frenzy going on. The house behind me got knocked down and the one across the street is gone,” Nichols said, adding that he is optimistic the city council’s decision will slow the development in neighborhoods.

“I think it’s a good day for fair and rational development,” Nichols said. “It’s not the end all answer, but finally the city acted.”